Tamil Nadu’s Iron Age report is a turning point in Indian archaeology. It needs more research

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin released a report titled ‘Antiquity of Iron: Recent Radiometric Dates from Tamil Nadu’ on 23 January at the Anna Centenary Library, Chennai. In front of an assembly of archaeologists and experts, he declared that the Iron Age began on Tamil soil. Stalin’s declaration was backed by multiple radiometric dates from over five sites, one of which yielded a date of c. 3345 BCE, roughly corresponding to the mid-4th millennium BCE. In the north Indian context, this period corresponds to the Early Harappan period. Weeks before this announcement, the state government hinted at the early dates of the Iron Age in the state, suggesting that the Iron Age of southern India co-existed with the Bronze/Copper Age of the subcontinent. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ad-lite experience, exclusive content, special privileges & more – Subscribe to ThePrint for Special benefits: https://theprint.in/subscribe/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connect with ThePrint » Subscribe to ThePrint: https://theprint.in/subscribe/ » Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3nCMpht » Like us on Facebook:   / theprintindia   » Tweet us on Twitter:   / theprintindia   » Follow us on Instagram:   / theprintindia   » Find us on LinkedIn :   / theprint   » Subscribe to ThePrint on Telegram: https://t.me/ThePrintIndia » Find us on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2NMVlnB » Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3pEOta8